Saturday, 10 September 2011

Metal Gear SOLD!

Criminals stole copper signalling cable at London Bridge overnight. Southern Rail and First Capital Connect had to cancel and divert trains, with long delays getting into the capital.

Which presumably upset the RMT no end, since they see disrupting the commuter’s day as their job…

Thousands coming from Sussex suffered after a second cable theft at Littlehampton.

FCC, which runs Thameslink, and Southern were running a reduced timetable and some trains were not stopping at London Bridge.

It appears that the rail companies are finally getting fed up with the lackadaisical response from the justice system:

The thefts are the latest in a series to hit the industry, and Network Rail is demanding a change in the law dealing with them. It wants much harsher penalties, including long jail terms, and it is calling for those who buy the stolen cable to be targeted, as well as the thieves themselves.

It’s about time…

NR says some current penalties can be as little as "a slap on the wrist". It is touring courts to persuade magistrates of the seriousness of the offences.

The police seem to be regarding it as mindless vandalism, but is it perhaps the same criminal groups?

The thefts of the dry risers at Brooke House in Basildon town centre could mean firefighters are unable to fight a blaze on one of the building’s higher floors.In recent months thieves have repeatedly stolen or damaged the risers.

They are metal pipes locked in secure cases which allow firefighters to connect their hoses and pump water from the ground floor to the higher storeys.

It doesn’t seem as if this has occurred to the police, however:

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “We will investigate any reported incidents of damage or theft of dry risers.

“The people responsible for this may see it as criminal damage. However, it could have very serious consequences for the residents.”

Perhaps you should look for the missing metal risers in the nearest dodgy scrapyard?

We need to treat the theft of functional metal in a way which reflects its use and the potential danger from its absence, not its scrap value.

Example: copper gas pipe ripped from outside a house. The owner doesn't necessarily know and there can be gas leaks from the stumps. Gas building up in a place it was never supposed to could be ignited, putting lives at risk.

I'd like to see theft charges (if we ever catch anyone, which is a whole 'nuther issue) backed by reckless endangerment of life when it's a gas pipe or a comms cable.

Metal thieves deserve a messy and painful death. WOAR is right. This goes beyond simple theft. This is causing damage to infrastructure. It is killing people. I think a first-step measure (and God knows I rarely advocate a State-mandated solution) would be to implement a zero-tolerance, first-time and you're out policy for scrap metal dealers. Accept stolen metal and that's it. Sent down for five years, your business seized, broken up and, well, sold for scrap. The 'market' would collapse in a heartbeat.

The Law must get tougher on scrap metal dealers, making them responsible for ensuring that what they buy is not stolen ..

This could be achieved by making them demand & record details of all sellers (backed up by valid ID) .. the recording of all transactions on CCTV .. Regular inspections of scrap yards by Police, Trading Standards & Customs ..

The Town where I live is suffering a spate of cast iron manhole & drain cover thefts .. most of which have the appropriate "owners" name cast into them ..

For as long as the price of metal remains high, people will be tempted to steal it, if they think there's little realistic likelihood of them being caught or convicted ..

Stiff sentences for the thieves .. and stiff sentences for crooked dealers ..

Part of the problem is that metal dealers are allowed to pay cash for scrap. A relatively simple method of cutting down on scrap metal theft would be a change in the law to make dealers pay into bank accounts. Voila, traceability. There is a petition demanding this: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406

Every batch of metal can be inexpensively fingerprinted using combinations of its isotopes to mark and register a principal owner. The measure would seriously compromise the activities of dishonest scrap metal merchants.

Copper signalling cable sites can be booby trapped using smart water sprays and these devices mark the thief for months.

It seems cheap enough to make it very tough to tinker in metal theft and plod must know why such measures are not in place.

By coincidence, for the first time in my life, I have just this week taken scrap to merchants.

I phoned around and took the best price for Al and Fe and, therefore, visited two companies.

Each took my vehicle number but the second one asked "what name would you like on the receipt?" - a turn of phrase that made me suspicious.

Both companies have websites and both are registered with the Federation of Scrappers or whatever it's called.

Unpleasant people to deal with (yes really) and an industry that is making fortunes at the moment. And an industry that might need cleaning up.

Having said that, I do wonder how on earth the thieves get rid of huge quantities of, say, copper cable which must look ridiulously dodgy? Both yards were very busy places and one would hope that the rail or electrical companies have the sense to offer a reward for information.

I would like to make your readers aware of my top rates for copper signalling wire. I also write to make a formal request for a donation of £3.25 towards my new PC. This will entitle you to three comments on my great blog without any of my customary misrepresentation.

I am also pleased to inform you of your win on the Art Discovery Lottery. This special win includes some fine originals which came into my possession through Wiltshire Lost Property. Just send £50 to Tuesday Books to cover the administration costs. Cheers Inspector Gizmore

And we are told crime is decreasing. None of us think it is. It couldn't be that the crooks have just shifted their focus, could it? As police statistics go in ever decreasing circles, we pay more insurance.

"It seems cheap enough to make it very tough to tinker in metal theft.."

Cheap, but manpower-consuming. I think they could just do without the added burden, so consider it an inconvenience, rather than a potential danger. AS usual, it'll take an accident to change their minds..